Deathstroke: Rebirth #1 review

Whilst most of the latest Rebirth titles from DC Comics have been relatively lighthearted and even jokey in places – Deathstroke’s introduction is completely deadly. It isn’t light and humorous, but dark and deadly. It’s the perfect restart for the world’s deadliest assassin. And it also sheds some light onto who Slade Wilson was before he was known as Deathstoke. It perfectly tells the reader who he is, and why he does what he does. It’s another perfect starting point for new comic book readers, especially those that enjoy violent comics. Because that’s exactly what this is.

It’s completely unrelenting in who it chooses to kill, and shows absolutely no remorse whatsoever. Whilst the plot is relatively simple, it masterfully ties into Slade’s backstory that we’re shown. But essentially, the purpose of this rebirth title is to give readers new and old a fleshed out version of who Slade is, both in and out of the mask. And it does so even without telling us explicitly. We can tell various things about the character just by seeing singular panels. Like seeing him in bed with a random woman, the day after being shot 9 times. That in itself tells us that he’s not only got regenerative healing, but that he’s a bit of a womanizer on the side.

But Deathstroke: Rebirth #1 also shows us that Slade can be compassionate too. Helping get revenge on a man who’s murdered his own soldiers sons. It’s a hugely violent sequence, as he cuts down every man standing in his way. We’ve no doubt that this plot point will be further explored in the future solo series for Slade. But it expertly shows us how emotionless this character is when it comes to murdering people. But where does Slade end and Deathstroke begin? The line is definitely blurred.

If you’re looking for a new starting point to get into the character, check out Deathstroke: Rebirth #1. It’s a brilliant character analysis of a hugely popular DC Comics legend.